In King County, Washington, a case is governed by a Case Schedule, with critical dates starting with the date of filing and ending with the Trial Date. About 3 ½ months after filing, a Confirmation of Issues is due. This is an administrative document that tells the court if you are on schedule to meet your trial date. It tells the court if all the pleadings have been filed (generally the Petition and Response), gives the names, addresses and phone numbers of the parties and their attorneys, and informs the court of any parenting issues, to determine if the case needs to be referred to Family Court Services for mediation and/or investigation for a Parenting Plan.

If the parties fail to file the Confirmation of Issues, then they are required to appear at a Status Conference about a month after the due date for the Confirmation of Issues. At the Status Conference, the court will want to know why you did not file the Confirmation of Issues and what issues need to be addressed to get the case back on track. These are merely administrative processes, and do not affect the outcome of a case (unless you fail to comply, which could result in the court dismissing your case).